Answer

This study is an experiment. It has all of the basic features that are required for an experiment: First, there is an experimental group (the music group) and a control group (the no music group), and second subjects are randomly assigned. In addition, the study is conducted double blind and the subjects were tested simultaneously. The independent variable is the presence or absence of music, and the dependent variable is the amount of material learned which was operationalized by test performance. As they follow the basic design for an experiment, the researchers conclusion could be construed as being fairly valid. It should be noted that while internal validity is fairly good in this study, the external validity is limited. The results may not be able to be applied to any other type of music, type of material studied, or beyond college students.

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